Want to know a fool-proof way on how to dry herbs by hanging them? In this post, you’ll learn how to dry herbs the old-fashioned way. This preservation method doesn’t require any electricity and only a little patience.
One of the best ways to save money and benefit on flavor is by growing your own herbs and then drying them. You can grow your own herbs no matter where you live, even if you live in an apartment. Growing and drying my own herbs is one of my favorite things to do because the flavor compared to store bought herbs is unmatched.
You are going to learn which herbs are best to dry by hanging as well as tips on how to do so successfully and store them for later use.
After learning how to dry your own herbs, you’ll never want to buy them at the store again!
This post is all about how to dry herbs by hanging.
How to Dry Herbs by Hanging
Best Herbs for Hang Drying
The best herbs to dry by hanging are herbs with sturdier stems and a lower moisture content, such as thyme, summer savory, parsley, rosemary, mint, oregano, sage and dill.
I also dry many different kinds of flowers such as chamomile, lavender, echinacea and calendula. If you’re going to hang these in bundles, you’ll need to make sure you leave enough stem when harvesting these.
I prefer hang drying these herbs because their color, flavor and aromas are retained well and they dry easily within 1-2 weeks.
When to Harvest Herbs
The best time of day to pick your herbs is early in the morning. Their flavor is better retained as their volatile oils are more potent before the sun comes out and the summer heat hits the plants.
If your herbs are dirty or you’re more comfortable with them washed, you can give them a quick rinse. After rinsing, you’ll want to lay them in a single layer on a towel for a couple hours before transferring to either bundles or a drying rack. Make sure you rotate them once or twice so all surfaces are relatively dry.
How to Create an Herb Bundle
I prefer to take 3-4 sprigs of an herb and remove a few leaves from the end so there’s a nice amount of stem to tie without crowding the leaves. If you use too many sprigs, the herbs won’t get enough airflow and will be more prone to mold. When tying my bundles with kitchen twine, I leave a little extra twine on the bundle so I can easily hang them to dry.
You can hang them by tying them to a clothes hanger or using push pins underneath a cabinet. You can also buy a cute hanging rack if that’s more your style. I’ve also tied up string and used clothes pins to hang them.
Make sure your herbs are hanging in a cool, dark and dry place. Light exposure will fade your herbs and also diminish some of their flavor and aroma.
How to Dry Fresh Herbs Naturally on a Dedicated Mesh Hanging Rack or Old Screen
You’re probably wondering if you can dry fresh herbs without a dehydrator? The answer to that question is not only can you, but you should!
I personally grow a lot of herbs in the summer so I need a more efficient way to dry herbs so I purchased this drying rack on Amazon. I love that it has several different levels that allow me to separate my herbs and rotate them out as they dry. You can also use an old screen if you have one lying around.
I simply place the herbs in a single layer and let time do the rest.
How Long Do Fresh Herbs Take to Dry?
I find that as long as there isn’t a great amount of humidity, the herbs will be fully dry in about two weeks. You’ll be able to tell your herbs are dry when they’re crunchy and fall off the stem relatively easily. I have my hanging rack in my basement where I also have a dehumidifier running and that helps the process along as well.
Drying herbs in a basement without a dehumidifier wouldn’t be the best place as most basements can be quite humid.
How to Store Dried Herbs:
Once you’ve ensured that your herbs are sufficiently dry, you can place a piece of parchment paper on a flat surface and untie the bundles. Using your hand you remove the leaves from the stems. I’ve also placed a big bowl in my lap with a second bowl to dispose my stems in. I dry so many herbs at home that I often do this while watching TV.
I prefer to leave my herbs whole until I use them as I find this preserves their flavorful aroma best. I store my herbs in reused pasta sauce jars, but any glass jar will do.
Herbs should be stored in a cool dry place, although mine do just fine sitting on my open shelving in my relatively dark kitchen.
Tips:
- Avoid dehydrating or drying with heat when possible as it may alter the color, flavor and aroma of the herbs. It is possible to dehydrate herbs on a very low heat, but it will affect the finished product.
- Make small bundles so proper airflow can allow the herbs to properly dry without forming mold.
- A basement or room with a dehumidifier is an excellent place to dry herbs.
- Homegrown and home-dried herbs will pack more punch in flavor, so you won’t have to use as much as you would if you were using grocery store bought dried herbs.
- When using dried herbs, you’ll need less of the herb than if you were using fresh herbs. A simple conversion is 1 tbsp fresh is roughly equal to 1 tsp dried herbs.
You may also want to try this soup recipe!
This post was all about how to dry herbs by hanging so that you can skip the grocery store and have the best tasting herbs possible in your pantry.
